1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of assembling an optical connector, and to an optical connector and a hybrid connector including the optical connector and an electrical connector. This invention also relates to a method of positioning a light emitting element module and a light receiving element module for the optical connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle such as an automobile, there are many signals transmitted from various sensors and many signals used to control various electronic components. If these signals are transmitted by using individual signal lines, the number of the signal lines becomes large, resulting in the wiring harness weighing very heavy. In addition, the information transmitted has had large volumes and densities year by year.
To cope with this, in recent years, there has been adopted a system in which part of the wiring harnesses are replaced by optical fiber cables. For example, a connection has been made between nodes by an optical fiber cable.
If the wiring harnesses are partly replaced by optical fiber cables, it requires optical connectors which include a female optical connector called xe2x80x9coptical plugxe2x80x9d attached to an end of the optical fiber cables and a male optical connector called xe2x80x9creceptaclexe2x80x9d made up of an optical housing and a light emitting and light receiving modules having a light emitting and light receiving elements, respectively, mounted in the optical housing.
To assemble the male optical connector, however, it is required to mount the light emitting and light receiving modules in position in an optical housing one by one, making the assembling operation troublesome.
In this connection, if the wiring harnesses are partly replaced by optical fiber cables, it becomes troublesome to make connections, for example at a carmaker, between related electrical connectors and optical connectors. To cope with this, it has been desired to put to use a hybrid connector which combines in one an electrical connector and an optical connector and completes connection of the electrical connector and the optical connector at one connecting operation. The one-by-one mounting of the light emitting and light receiving modules will also make the assembling of such hybrid connector troublesome.
Further, the male optical connector, after assembled, is implemented on a printed circuit board, and it is necessary that leads of the light emitting and light receiving modules are set in precise position so as not to hit the board and be crimped during the implementation on the board. To this end, in assembling the optical connector, extreme care has been taken to accurately position the light emitting and light receiving modules, resulting in an adverse effect on the productivity and cost increase of the optical connectors. The above also applies in the case of hybrid connectors including an optical connector.
This invention has been accomplished to overcome the above drawbacks and an object of this invention is to provide a method of easily assembling an optical connector, and an optical connector and a hybrid connector which can be easily assembled. Another object is to provide a method of positioning a light emitting and light receiving elements modules which leads to an improvement in productivity.
In order to attain the objects, according to an aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of assembling an optical connector including a light emitting module and a light receiving module, the light emitting module having a first molded portion of transparent synthetic resin, a light emitting element embedded in the first molded portion and first leads extending out of the first molded portion, the light receiving module having a second molded portion of transparent synthetic resin, a light receiving element embedded in the second molded portion and second leads extending out of the second molded portion, which comprises the steps of placing the light emitting module and the light receiving module directly or indirectly into respective module receiving sections formed in a casing so as to set the light emitting module and the light receiving module in position; and then mounting the casing in an optical housing.
In the above method according to this invention, the light emitting and light receiving modules are directly or indirectly received in the respective module receiving sections of the casing to be set in position. If the light emitting and light receiving modules are received in position in the casing, the optical connector can be readily assembled by mounting the casing in the optical housing. In other words, the light emitting and light receiving modules can, in advance in a separate process, be received directly or indirectly in the casing. This allows the operation for assembling the optical connector to be performed easily.
Preferably, the first and second molded portions are directly or indirectly provided, at positions corresponding to the light emitting and light receiving elements, with respective cylindrical portions for receiving a sleeve with a core and a cladding, and the step of placing the light emitting module and the light receiving module into the respective module receiving sections comprises guiding the cylindrical portions in respective cutouts formed at the module receiving sections so as to set the light emitting module and the light receiving module in position.
In the above method, the cutouts guide therein the cylindrical portions, which are provided directly or indirectly to the first and second molded portions, to facilitate the operation of placing the light emitting and light receiving modules in position.
Advantageously, the cutouts have a width equal to an outer diameter of the cylindrical portions.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided an optical connector which comprises: a light emitting module having a first molded portion of transparent synthetic resin, a light emitting element embedded in the first molded portion and first leads extending out of the first molded portion; a light receiving module having a second molded portion of transparent synthetic resin, a light receiving element embedded in the second molded portion and second leads extending out of the second molded portion; two sleeves of cylindrical shape, each having a core and a cladding extending along a center axis thereof; a casing having two module receiving sections for receiving the respective first and second molded portions directly or through respective first and second module casings fitted over the first and second molded portions; and a housing having a receiving section for receiving the sleeves and the casing, wherein the first and second molded portions or the first and second module casings are provided, at positions corresponding to the light emitting and light receiving elements, with respective cylindrical portions for receiving the sleeves, and the casing has cutouts formed in a wall thereof defining the module receiving sections for guiding the cylindrical portions so as to set the light emitting module and the light receiving module in position.
In the above optical connector, when the light emitting and light receiving modules are directly or indirectly received in the respective module receiving sections of the casing, the cylindrical portions are guided in the related cutouts to bring the modules to position. If the light emitting and light receiving modules are received in position in the casing, the optical connector can be readily assembled by mounting the casing in the optical housing. In other words, owing to the first and second molded portions or the first and second module casings provided with the cylindrical portions for receiving the sleeves, and to the casing having the cutouts for guiding the cylindrical portions to bring the light emitting and light receiving modules to position, the light emitting and light receiving modules can, in advance in a separate process, be received directly or indirectly into the module receiving sections of the casing. This allows the operation for assembling the optical connector to be performed easily.
Advantageously, the cutouts have a width equal to an outer diameter of the cylindrical portions.
Advantageously, the casing is formed of electrically conductive material.
According to yet another aspect of this invention, there is provided a hybrid connector which comprises an optical connector as referred to above, and an electrical connector having an electrical housing with a mount section for mounting the optical connector and terminals inserted into the electrical housing.
According to yet another aspect of this invention, there is provided a light emitting and light receiving modules positioning method for an optical connector including a light emitting module and a light receiving module, the light emitting module having a first molded portion of transparent synthetic resin, a light emitting element embedded in the first molded portion and first leads extending out of the first molded portion, the light receiving module having a second molded portion of transparent synthetic resin, a light receiving element embedded in the second molded portion and second leads extending out of the second molded portion, which comprises the steps of: placing the light emitting module and the light receiving module directly or indirectly into respective module receiving sections formed in a casing so as to set the first and second molded portions in position relative to each other; and then mounting the casing in an optical housing while restricting tilting of the first and second molded portions in a rotational direction about an optical axis of the optical connector so as to set the first and second leads in position.
In the above method according to this invention, if the light emitting and light receiving modules are directly or indirectly received into the respective module receiving sections of the casing, the first and second molded portions are set in position relative to each other. If the casing is then mounted in the optical housing, the tilting of the first and second molded portions in a rotational direction about the optical axis is restricted to set the first and second leads in position.
In other words, the positioning of the light emitting and light receiving modules is spontaneously completed during the assembly.
Preferably, the first and second molded portions are directly or indirectly provided, at positions corresponding to the light emitting and light receiving elements, with respective cylindrical portions for receiving a sleeve with a core and a cladding, and the step of placing the light emitting module and the light receiving module into the respective module receiving sections and the step of restricting tilting of the first and second molded portions are effected through the cylindrical portions.
Preferably, the step of placing the light emitting module and the light receiving module into the respective module receiving sections comprises guiding the cylindrical portions in respective cutouts formed at the module receiving sections so as to set the first and second molded portions in position relative to each other.
Advantageously, the cutouts have a width equal to an outer diameter of the cylindrical portions.
Preferably, the step of restricting tilting of the first and second molded portions so as to set the first and second leads in position comprises bringing into contact with each other flat surfaces formed on the cylindrical portions and in the optical housing.
In the above method, because the positioning of the first and second leads is effected through the engagement of the flat surfaces with each other, it is spontaneously effected by mounting the casing in the optical housing during the assembly.
Advantageously, the cylindrical portions are of such an inner diameter as to snugly receive the sleeves.
According to a further aspect of this invention, there is provided an optical connector which comprises: a light emitting module having a first molded portion of transparent synthetic resin, a light emitting element embedded in the first molded portion and first leads extending out of the first molded portion; a light receiving module having a second molded portion of transparent synthetic resin, a light receiving element embedded in the second molded portion and second leads extending out of the second molded portion; two sleeves of cylindrical shape, each having a core and a cladding extending along a center axis thereof; a casing having two module receiving sections for receiving the respective first and second molded portions directly or through respective first and second module casings fitted over the first and second molded portions; and a housing having a receiving section for receiving the sleeves and the casing, wherein the first and second molded portions or the first and second module casings are provided, at positions corresponding to the light emitting and light receiving elements, with respective cylindrical portions for receiving the sleeves, the cylindrical portions have a flat surface formed thereon, the casing has cutouts formed in a wall thereof defining the module receiving sections for guiding the cylindrical portions so as to set the light emitting module and the light receiving module in position, and the housing has a flat surface formed in the module receiving sections, which corresponds to the flat surface on the cylindrical portions.
In the above optical connector according to this invention, if the light emitting and light receiving modules are directly or indirectly received in the respective module receiving sections of the casing, the cylindrical portions are guided in the respective cutouts so as to spontaneously set the light emitting and light receiving modules in position. If the casing is then mounted in the optical housing, the tilting of the first and second molded portions in a rotational direction about the optical axis is restricted to set the first and second leads in position.
Advantageously, the cutouts have a width equal to an outer diameter of the cylindrical portions.
Advantageously, the casing is formed of electrically conductive material.
Advantageously, the cylindrical portions are of such an inner diameter as to snugly receive the sleeves.
According to a further aspect of this invention, there is provided a A hybrid connector comprising an optical connector as referred to above, and an electrical connector having an electrical housing with a mount section for mounting the optical connector and terminals inserted into the electrical housing.
The term xe2x80x9chybrid connectorxe2x80x9d used herein is intended to mean a connector having an optical connector and an electrical connector combined in one.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.